Suction and pressure controlled valve system



Nov. 20, 1956 w. D; BAILEY EIAL 2,771,094

SUCTION AND PRESSURE CONTROLLED VALVE SYSTEM Filed Dec. 3. 1952INVENTORS 3 171112122 l2 BazYe and John T Cooper BY min-1,)

ATTORNEYS United States Patent '0 SUCTION AND PRESSURE CONTROLLED VALVESYSTEM William D. Bailey and John T. Cooper, Pine Blulf, Ark.Application December 3, 1952, Serial No. 323,835 Claims. (Cl. 137-620)The present invention relates to improvements in valve control systems,and more particularly to valve control systems wherein a plurality ofvalves are to be simultaneously operated in either opening or closingdirection.

In valve control systems of the prior art, we are aware that pressureoperated gate valves have been employed. In such arrangements, openingmovement of the gate valve is usually effected by pressure acting on apiston or diaphragm to which the gate is connected for reciprocationtherewith. The closing operation of the valve is usually effected bygravity coupled with the action of a spring bearing against the pistonor diaphragm, upon release of the pressure.

One ditficulty with such prior art arrangements is that positive openingand closing of the valve is not effected.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improvedvalve control system wherein each valve is positively operated in boththe opening and closing directions.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvedvalve control system wherein opening movement of the valves to besimultaneously operated is effected by pressure and closing movement isprimarily effected by vacuum, the same line being employed to subjectthe valve operator to both pressure and vacuum.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide animproved valve control system wherein a source of pressure is employedto provide both pressure and vacuum for the operation of the pluralityof valves and wherein the operation of a single valve in the pressureline selectively subjects the lines to the'respective valves either topressure or vacuum.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved valvecontrol system wherein a plurality of valves each controlling flowthrough a separate pipe can simultaneously positively be operated ineither opening or closing movement or if desired an preselected valve orvalves or said plurality can be cut 03 from such simultaneous operation.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent from thedetailed description to follow.

The best form in which we have contemplated applying our invention isclearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of our entire valve controlsystem;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view, parts being broken away, showing thejet means, operating valve and cut-ofi valves;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially alongthe plane of line 33 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal view through one of" the plurality ofvalves to be operated and its operating means.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numeralsdesignate like parts throughout, it will be seen that our improved valvecontrol system, designated generally by the numeral 10, is comprised ofjet means 12, pressure control valve means 14, a plurality of valves tobe simultaneously operated, designated generally by the numeral 16, andcut-ofi valves, designated generally by the numeral 18.

Having particular reference to Fig. 2, the jet means 12 will first bedescribed. The jet means 12 is comprised of a substantially cylindricalcasing 20, one end of which is coupled to and in communication with apressure line 22 which in turn connects the casing with a source ofpressure such as a pressure reservoir of a pump (not shown). Thecoupling 24 may be of any conventional nature such as a nut coupling aflange on the inlet 26 to the line 22 by threading of the nut 24 on theline 22. The opposite end of the casing 20 is of reduced diameter andelongated at 28. A conical-like portion 30 joins the larger diameterportion of the casing 20 with the reduced diameter portion 28. Thereduced diameter portion 28, in turn, is coupled to the portion 32 ofthe pressure line 22 by a conventional union at 34.

The jet means further includes an angulated conduit section 38 whichextends through the casing at 40 and terminates at its inner end in anaxially extending portion 42. The open end of the conduit portion 42 isin juxtaposition to the opening at 44 into the reduced diameter portion28.

The pressure control valve means 14 is comprised of a globe-type valvehaving a manually operated handle 36, the valve controlling the pressureflow through the pressure line portion 32.

A description of one of the plurality of valves 16 to be, operated willsufiice inasmuch as the valves are all similar. Attention is directed toFigs. 3 and 4 wherein a valve 46 and its operating means 48 in the formof a separate selfcontained unit, are disclosed therein. The valvecasing 50 is connected in the pipe line 52 by the plurality of bolts 54extending through the flanges 56 and 58 into the casing 50. The pipeline 52 is one of a plurality of pipes of a system, as shown in Fig. 1.The valve 46 includes a gate 60 reciprocably mounted within the casing50 to control the flow through the pipe line 52. The gate has coupled tothe upper end thereof the enlarged portion 62 of a rod 64 which extendsupwardly and outwardly of the casing 50, the enlarged portion beingreceived in a complementary recess in the gate.

The operating unit means 48 for the valve 46 is comprised of a cylinder66 having its upper end closed by the cover 68. The lower end of thecylinder 66 is provided with a centrally apertured closure 70. The cover68 and closure 70 are both threaded on the ends of the cylinder 66. Theclosure 70 has 21 depending cylindrical collar 72 terminating in aflange 74 integrally formed therewith. The flange 74 is apertured andbolts 76 are employed for securing the flange 74 to the upper end of thecasing 50 so that the central aperture receives the rod 64 therethrough.A conventional form of stufling box 77 encircles the rod 64 within thedepending cylindrical collar 72 so as to prevent pressure leakage pastthe rod and through the closure 70.

The upper end of the rod has a piston 78 secured thereto and a spring 79is interposed between the upper face of the piston 78 and the cover 68so as to normally urge the piston, rod and valve gate 60 downwardly toclosed position. A conduit is connected with the lower end of thecylinder for subjecting the underside of the piston either to pressureor vacuum.

The operating means or unit 48 is attachable as shown to any valvehaving a suitable stem so that the system may thus be connected with aseries of pipes having valves therein without disturbing the pipes ormoving the valves.

Referring once again to Fig. 1, it will be seen that each valveoperating means 48 has a conduit 80 extending therefrom and connected toa primary conduit 82 by the T-couplings at 84 or elbow at 85 and each ofthe secondary conduits 80 has a conventional cut-off valve, as a globevalve, the group of valves being designated by the numeral 18.

In operation, when it is desired to simultaneously open all of thevalves 16, the valve 14 is closed and all of the valves 18 are opened.Pressure from the line 22 passes into the jet means 12 and out theconduitsection 38 of the primary conduit 82, into the secondary conduits8i) and from there into the cylinders of the individual operating means48. The pressure beneath the. pistons 78 forces the same upwardly inopposition to the spring 79, thereby opening the gates 60 and permittingflow through the pipes 52. When it is'desired to eflect simultaneouspositive closing of the valves, the valve '14 is opened and the valves13' are retained open. Fluid pressure will be exhausted out'the line 32and the venturi action between the conduit portion 42 and opening at 44will put the primary conduit 32 under vacuum. In this fashion thecylinders will have a vacuum below the pistons positively drawing the"same along with the plunger and gate valve downwardly to closedposition.

It will be understood that any of the valves 16 can be cut-off fromoperation with the others by operation of the valves 18. Furthermore, byclosing selected ones of the valves 18 when their respective valves 16are either open or closed will retain the latter valves in thatrelationship while the other valves are positively simultaneouslyoperated as above.

From the foregoing it will be seen that we'have provided an improvedvalve control system that is susceptible of use in many environmentssuch as in water'treating plants, refineries, oil and gas lines ofvarious processes, e c.

We claim:

l. A valve control system comprising a plurality of valveseachcontrolling an individual pipe line, individual operating means for eachvalve comprising a self-contamed unit detachably secured to the valve,each unit being responsive to pressure for opening its respective valveand responsive to vacuum for closing'its respective valve, a pressurecontrol line entirely separate from and ndependent of said individualpipe lines and said units, et means in said control line, valve means insaid control line, and conduit means connecting said jet means with saidoperating units, said valve means being operable to sub ect said conduitmeans and operating units selectively to vacuum and pressure wherebysimultaneous operation or the plurality of valves in both opening andclosing direction can be positively effected.

2. A valve control system comprising a plurality of valves eachcontrolling an individual pipe line, individual operating means carriedby each of said valves and comprising a self-contained unit detachablysecured to the valve, each unit being responsive to pressure for openingits respective valve and responsive to vacuum for closing its respectivevalve, a pressure control line entirely separate from and independent ofsaid individual pipe lines and said units, jet means in said controlline, a valve in said control line adjacent the outlet end of said jetmeans, a primary conduit extending from said jet means, and a pluralityof secondary conduits connecting said primary conduit with each of saidoperating means, closure of said valve in the control line directingpressure from the inlet end of said jet means to said primary andsecondary conduits to simultaneously positively eifect opening of saidplurality of valves, and openingof said valve in the control linedischarging pressure from said jet means and sujecting said primary andsecondary conduits to vacuum to simultaneously positively efiect closingof said plurality of valves.

3. A valve control system comprising a plurality of valves eachcontrolling an individual pipe line, individual operating means carriedby each 'of said valvesand comprising a self-contained unit detachablysecured to the valve, each unit being responsive to pressure for-openingits respective valve and responsive to-vacuum for-closing its respectivevalve, a pressure control line, jet means in said control line, a valvein said control line adjacent the outlet end of said jet means, aprimary conduit extending wherein each of said secondary conduits isprovided with a manually operable valve for selectively closing offcommunication between said primary conduit and said operating means.

4. A valve control systemc'omprising a plurality of valves eachcontrolling anindividual pipe line, individual operating means carriedby each of said valves and comprising a self-contained unit detachablesecured to the valve, each unit being'responsiveto pressure for openingits respective valve and responsive to vacuum for closing its respectivevalve, a pressure control line entirely separate from and independent ofsaid individual pipe lines and said units, jet means in said controlline, a valve in said control line, adjacent the outlet end of said jetmeans, a primary conduit extending from said jet means, and a pluralityof secondary conduits connecting said primary conduit with each of saidoperating means, closure of said valve in the control line directingpressure from the inlet end of said jet means to said primary andsecondary conduits to simultaneously positively efiect opening of saidplurality of valves, and opening of said valve in the control linedischarging pressure fromsaid jet means and subjecting said primary andsecondary 'conduits to 'vacuum'to simultaneously positivelyeffectclosing of said plurality of valves, each of said operating meansincluding a cylinder having a piston reciprocably mounted therein with aplunger connecting the piston with the valve to' be operated, a springabutting said piston and normally urging said valve to be operated toclosed posit-ion, and one of said secondary conduits being incommunication with said cylinder on the side of said piston remote fromsaid spring.

5. A system of the character described comprising the combination withat least two pipe lines each having a control valve therein including acasing and movable shut-oil element, of an operating means for eachshut-cit element including a cylinder secured to the valve casing, apiston inthe cylinder and a rod coupling the piston with the adjacentshut-oil element, a fluid pressure line separate from and independent ofthe pipe linesy-a'n elongated casing interposed in the pressure lineand'having one end tapered toward an outlet, said pressure line havingone side leading into the end of the casing remote from the outlet andhaving another side connected with and-leading from said casing outlet,a primary conduit having an end portion extended into said casing andterminating in an open end in close coaxial relation with and directedtoward said casing outlet wherey passage of pressure fluid through thecasing and said outlet will'effect a reduction of pressure in saidprimary conduit, means for closing said pressure line on the sidethereof adjacent to the casing outlet, whereby the pressure fluid willbecaused to flow into the primary conduit, a secondary conduit leadingfrom the primary conduit into each piston cylinder on one side of thepiston therein, and a shut-oft valvein each secondary conduit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS862,867 Eggleston Aug. 6, 1 907 941,426 Louden Nov. 30, 1909 2,022,642Hueber Nov. 26, 1935 2,417,994 Sheets Mar. 25, 1947

